Cortina: Weather still calling shots

Racers got as far as warming up and inspecting the downhill training course in Cortina on Thursday but then Mother Nature took the upper hand. Again.

“We’re getting tired of it,” said U.S. women’s head coach Jim Tracy. “It’s snowed 100 centimeters. It’s tough mentality. But everyone has to suck it up. Everyone is in the same boat.”

With the women’s race schedule shifted once already this week in Cortina, officials cancelled downhill training again on Thursday. The new schedule is set for downhill training Friday, a downhill race Saturday and giant slalom Sunday.

Racers got as far as warming up and inspecting the downhill training course in Cortina on Thursday but then Mother Nature took the upper hand. Again.

“We’re getting tired of it,” said U.S. women’s head coach Jim Tracy. “It’s snowed 100 centimeters. It’s tough mentality. But everyone has to suck it up. Everyone is in the same boat.”

With the women’s race schedule shifted once already this week in Cortina, officials cancelled downhill training again on Thursday. The new schedule is set for downhill training Friday, a downhill race Saturday and giant slalom Sunday.

The second downhill rescheduled to make up for a cancelled race earlier this season at Lake Louise is now cancelled for good.

Part of Cortina’s resort is closed due to avalanche danger, but at least the U.S. women got some skiing in Thursday and have been using the unexpected free time to watch testers’ video footage.

If adverse conditions prevent a downhill training run from taking place Friday, Tracy said Saturday’s race will become a super-G.

The cancellations are particularly unfortunate for World Cup overall and downhill leader Lindsey Vonn, who was looking forward to matching her history of success at Cortina multiple times this week.

“Well, she’s still leading,” Tracy pointed out. “We haven’t been very lucky this year with all the speed events. We’re used to [weather canceling races], but this is out of the norm for the last few years. It’s super frustrating. But Mother Nature will always decide. We just have to be ready to go.”